Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to slander, says Zahid

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

THE government will not allow the phenomenon of fake news dissemination and slander via social media in the name of freedom of expression.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said measures needed to be taken before the phenomenon (of slander and disseminating fake news) was treated as the norm amongst the people.

“We do not want these practices tolerated and accepted as ‘freedom of expression’ in the name of democracy… whereby, slandering others is common… (and making someone angry) is considered success. Read more →

159 children among Sosma and Poca detainees, says home minister

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 ― A total of 159 children were among those detained under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma), and the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca), Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

In a reply to DAP’s Klang MP Charles Santiago, Zahid said that under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) however, no children were detained.

“Seventeen children have been caught since the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, was gazetted and enforced. As for the Prevention of Crime Act 1959, 142 children were caught, whereas no children were detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act,” Zahid who is also deputy prime minister said. Read more →

No excuse for Poca threat, say human rights groups

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News

Paulsen: LFL is against all forms of preventive detention. Pic from FMT News

PETALING JAYA: Several human rights groups have criticised Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s warning that enforcement authorities will not hesitate to use preventive laws to detain those suspected of involvement in money-laundering activities.

The Citizen Action Group On Enforced Disappearance (CAGED), Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and Bersih 2.0 agreed that a lack of witnesses or insufficient evidence was no excuse to put suspects under detention without a fair trial.

This came after Zahid said the police, in particular, would not compromise when acting against those who allegedly participate in illegal activities such as misusing bank accounts to make illicit payments.

“If there are no witnesses brave enough to provide information, or if there is insufficient evidence to press criminal charges against the suspects, the police will not be lenient in using the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (Poca),” he was quoted as saying. Read more →

Mass graves: ‘No Malaysians caught as all were foreigners’

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News 

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says there was no compromise in the detention of those involved in the Wang Kelian mass graves discovered in 2015.

He added that no Malaysian agents had been detained as those involved were all foreigners.

“Why were no Malaysians accused? The ones who smuggled (the Rohingya into the country) were all foreigners.

“There is no compromise on crime,” he told Charles Santiago (DAP-Klang), adding that this was a trans-boundary matter and the agent involved had been taken to court.

Another four foreigners were also charged with human trafficking, he said.

“Please understand how I work. I am serious about the issue,” he said when winding up the debate on the Malaysian Border Security Agency Bill (2017), which was passed at the Dewan Rakyat today.

Santiago had asked why the police in Wang Kelian were not aware of the mass graves in which 106 Rohingya migrants had been buried. Read more →

Zahid told to respect judicial process on naming out-of-wedlock children

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: FMT News 

PETALING JAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has been told to respect the country’s judicial process instead of making critical remarks against the Court of Appeal’s decision on the naming of Muslim children born out of wedlock.

PKR central committee member Latheefa Koya said the courts should be allowed to decide on the matter impartially on the basis of the law and the Federal Constitution, without unnecessary positions being taken by government leaders on the issue.

“I have never come across a case of an instance of a deputy PM showing such gross disrespect to the judicial process,” she said.

“It is clear Zahid is trying to make political capital out of this case, with the general elections around the corner. It is most unfair as this involves the lives and future of innocent children,” she said in a statement today. Read more →

DPM supports NRD’s move to file appeal against ‘bin Abdullah’ decision

Nur Farzana Md Yusof

Source: The Malay Mail Online 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi agrees with the move taken by the National Registration Department (NRD) to file an appeal against the case of illegitimate Muslim children to the Federal Court.

He said at the moment, the NRD was carrying out its tasks according to the Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Affairs’ ruling which did not allow children conceived out of wedlock to take the name of the father.

“We know a law is a law. The Home Ministry, especially the NRD, should adhere to the decision of the National Fatwa Council and as such, we are appealing to a higher court so that the decision (of the Court of Appeal) is cancelled as only legitimate children could be named after the father,” he said when speaking at an Aidilfitri celebration with the Malabari community in Selayang near here yesterday night. Read more →

Zahid denies Turkey ordered arrest of its 3 citizens

Coordinator

Source: FMT News

Yesterday, human rights group Stockholm Centre of Freedom urged Malaysia to halt doing the bidding of an increasingly repressive Turkish government. Pic from FMT News.

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today denied that the detention of three Turkish citizens two weeks ago was based on orders from the Turkish government.

He said the arrests were made after receiving information from the Counter-Messaging Centre (CMC) in relation to their involvement in an illegal organisation.

“The three Turkish nationals involved are members of an organisation deemed illegal in their country, and their detention was not made based on the instruction from any party.

“If human rights’ bodies want to help them, they can communicate directly with the Turkish government,” he told reporters during a dinner with members of the Retired Senior Police Officers’ Association Malaysia (Respa) here, last night. Read more →

Detained Turks to be deported, says Zahid

Coordinator

Source: FMT News

Despite pleas by the families of the 3 Turkish detainees, deputy prime minister says they are not Putrajaya’s responsibility. Pic from FMT News.

PUTRAJAYA: The three Turkish citizens arrested in connection with alleged terrorist activities will be deported to their home country despite pleas from their families not to do so out of fear for their safety following Turkey’s ongoing crackdown on critics.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia would not entertain the families’ appeals as the matter was not Putrajaya’s responsibility. Read more →

Malaysians must reject vengeful politicians and those who suggest threats of violence — Bersih Statement

Coordinator

Dated 20 April 2017

downloadBERSIH 2.0, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, is appalled by the messages of intimidation and vengeance that a few top government leaders are sending out in the prelude to a general election that is expected to be held between the coming months and middle of next year.

First, is the thinly veiled, horrific warning by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi that were the so-called social contract broken, Malaysians can expect not only “social disorder but – worse than that – our streets will be littered with blood and dead bodies”.

“Free Malaysia Today” quoted Zahid as saying this in his keynote address at the Human Ecology International Conference in Putrajaya on 18 April.

Then on 19 April, it was reported that Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar had issued a 6 March directive to local councils to scrap small-scale infrastructure projects in parliamentary constituencies not represented by the ruling party.

BERSIH 2.0 finds Zahid’s statement and Noh’s action deplorable, coming especially from political leaders who should be setting the tone for a free and fair general election to come. Read more →

Zahid: Don’t sacrifice social contract with grab for power

Coordinator

Source: FMT News

Home minister warns of disorder with streets 'littered with blood and dead bodies' if Malaysia’s social contract is broken. Pic from FMT News.

Home minister warns of disorder with streets ‘littered with blood and dead bodies’ if Malaysia’s social contract is broken. Pic from FMT News.

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has reminded Malaysians not to sacrifice the nation’s “social contract” because of the desire to wrest power from the government.

The home minister today said Malaysia’s peace and harmony is possible because of this agreement that has bound the people from various races, religions and cultures together for many years.

“Today, that foundation is being challenged and has become very flimsy because there are people out there who want to grab power and have distorted the social contract with their deceptive propaganda,” he said, without naming anyone.

The Umno deputy president cited the Malay proverb “retak menunggu belah” (a crack waits to become a split), saying such a situation should not be allowed to happen.

“I must remind that if that social contract is broken, there will not (only) be social disorder but worse than that, our streets will be littered with blood and dead bodies,” he said. Read more →